
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Board of Directors has announced that Kari Grubin will succeed Seth Hallen as President on January 1, 2025.
When Hallen passes HPA leadership to Grubin, the organization marks a noteworthy milestone in its history as she becomes the first woman to hold the HPA presidency and only its third president since the organization's founding, following Hallen and HPA founder Leon Silverman. A recognized expert in technology, consultative expertise and post production services, Grubin possesses the experience and vision to help drive HPA through the next phase of the industry's evolution.
I am truly honored and excited to be part of the leadership team of this great organization that means so much to me, and I will bring my passion and experience to this responsibility, said Grubin. Now more than ever, HPA is a critical and hyper-relevant partner for the individuals and companies at work in our industry as we face the significant change, challenge and opportunity ahead. HPA will continue to be a conduit for our community to grow, reach out for new opportunities and adapt. I'm assuming the leadership of a thriving organization, and I look forward to shepherding it through its next powerful new phase. I encourage our community to join us in the work ahead and look forward to the upcoming collaboration.
Hallen and Grubin will work closely over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition. A dedicated HPA Board Member since 2020, Grubin has spearheaded several of HPA's most impactful initiatives. She co-founded HPA Women in Post (2011) which provides leadership opportunities and visibility for women working in professional content creation. Under the leadership of Grubin and fellow board member Loren Nielsen, the Women in Post committee created and incubated the HPA Young Entertainment Professional program which has connected and mentored nearly 200 YEPS. In 2021, she and fellow Board member Renard Jenkins collaborated to launch HPA All, an initiative to strengthen the media and entertainment community by supporting and highlighting career pathways and creating opportunities for contributions by and visibility for underrepresented groups. Grubin led the HPA Tech Retreat Supersession in 2022 and is currently collaborating with Hallen and the Program Committee in the planning of the 2025 HPA Tech Retreat Supersession. As an active member of the entertainment and media industry, she has led many initiatives including serving as project director on SMPTE's industry-defining Rapid Industry Solutions on Set Virtual Production Initiative. She was asked to join the Production and Technology Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2021.
Grubin is member services director for the Motion Picture Association's Trusted Partner Network, where her focus is on enhanced security preparedness and security best practices at all stages in the digital media supply chain. Her extensive career spans executive roles in the entertainment and technology industries. Grubin began her trajectory as a tour guide at Universal Studios, eventually becoming an assistant editor working on feature films. From Universal, she segued to Paramount Studios where she worked in Mastering for Studio Operations, eventually rising to head of technical operations. Moving to a new enterprise, Grubin was a co-founder and general manager of the mastering facility at Global Entertainment Partners (GEP) before selling the company to Deluxe Entertainment Services Group. At Deluxe, she was named vice president of post and restoration before joining the cybersecurity company, NSS Labs, as sales director, and then served as vice president of mastering for Walt Disney Studios. She is listed as a co-inventor for three U.S. patents in media and entertainment technology.
Reflecting on the change, Hallen said, Leading the HPA over the past nine years has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career. It's been an honor to work alongside such dedicated and passionate professionals who continuously push the boundaries of creativity and innovation in our industry. I am incredibly proud of what we've achieved together, from fostering new talent and expanding our educational initiatives to navigating unprecedented challenges with resilience and unity. I have had the pleasure of working closely with Kari, and I have witnessed firsthand her vision, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the HPA community. Kari is an exceptional leader with the energy, expertise, and insight to guide HPA into its next era of growth and evolution. I have no doubt that under her leadership, HPA will continue to thrive and be a powerful force in shaping the future of our industry.
The HPA Board has also announced that Renard Jenkins will assume the role of Vice President of the Board in January alongside Grubin. At that time, a new Executive Committee will take over. The 2025 HPA Board Executive Committee includes Grubin, Jenkins, Craig German and Graylind Wherry.
For more information, visit hpaonline.com.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Deepens Partnership with Taiwan's 62nd Golden Hors...
25/11/2025
Tracy Bonareri Onchoke, an investigative journalist from Kenya is the winner of the Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist Award 2025.
The 26-year-old-sele...
25/11/2025
SVG All-Stars: Blayke Scheer, Senior Director, Creative Content, YES NetworkThe Indiana alum has turned storytelling into an artform for more than two decadesBy...
25/11/2025
Op-Ed: With FCC's C-Band Auction on the Horizon, Broadcasters Need Proven, C...
25/11/2025
Analysis: Is Baller League really the future of sport? By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 10:10
Print This Story
With KSI on...
25/11/2025
Platinum Whitepaper: The Growth of Broadcast in the World of Major Large Scale E...
25/11/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: SVG Women's Sports WorkshopBy Samantha Gabay
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 10:27 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlig...
25/11/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: CacheFly's Matt Levine on the Evolving Role of th...
25/11/2025
Peacock's EA SPORTS Madden NFL Cast Levels Up on Thanksgiving With SkyCam as...
25/11/2025
Mathias Broe attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Sauna at Library Center Theatre. (Photo by Michael Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Fes...
25/11/2025
The best playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks bring a little extra magic to your daily routine. With new features and offerings, Spotify Premium delivers even mo...
25/11/2025
Comprehensive new research confirms what we already knew: Australian music fans love the quality, quantity, and access they have to new and local music on strea...
25/11/2025
Applicable Products
Objectives The purpose of this application note is to give a brief background on 5G (NR) wireless communication an explain the reason a SN...
25/11/2025
Nielsen will now measure both Lionsgate's FAST channel MovieSphere and Movie...
25/11/2025
FREMONT, Calif. Blackmagic Design said the Associated Press has completed the transition of its global video-editing platform to DaVinci Resolve Studio....
25/11/2025
Berklees Inaugural Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole Scholarship Awarded to Paris P...
25/11/2025
NEW YORK NFL and college football coverage, the MLB postseason and the new fall broadcast-TV season contributed to major gains for traditional media companies a...